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Intellectual Property LawDown to a Science
Legal Careers for Scientists in the Biotech and Pharma Industries
Rose M. Thiessen, Ph.D., Attorney At Law
May 12, 2007
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Career Options
Attorney
Patent Agent
Legal Assistant / Paralegal / Patent Specialist
Law Librarian
Patent Examiner at the USPTO
Patent Searcher / Technical Consultant
Intellectual Property Manager/Coordinator
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Employers of Attorneys, Agents, Assistants
Law Firms Associate (7-10 years) (experience not required) Partner (part owner of the firm) Hire attorneys, agents, assistants (experience not
necessarily required)
Industry Biotech, pharmaceutical, chemical, high tech Hire attorneys, agents, assistants (experience typically
required)
University Tech Transfer Offices Hire attorneys and agents
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Where can I find a job in the legal profession?
Top markets include: San Francisco, Boston, New York, Washington
DC, San Diego
Secondary markets include: Chicago, Minneapolis, Austin, Seattle, Los
Angeles
Smaller markets all over the country
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Attorney (Client Practice)
Patent drafting and prosecution
Patent infringement and validity opinions
Licensing agreements
Employment contracts
Advise on trade secrets, patent strategy, business plans
Interact with foreign patent counsel, litigation counsel, venture capitalists, auditors
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Attorney (Litigator)
Discovery
Memoranda
Requests
Motions
Depositions
Trial and appellate briefs
Settlement negotiations
Mediation
Arbitration
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Client Practice versus Litigation
Litigators don’t need a technical background
Technical degree not required for trademark attorneys
Most M.S./Ph.D.’s end up in client practice
Easier for patent attorneys with client practice background to job-hop, especially to in-house (industry) positions
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Attorney salaries
Starting salaries of >$140,000 (SoCal Law Firms)
Billable Hours / Bonuses
Firms have “Personalities” “Quality of Life” Firms
Prosecution Firms vs. Litigation Firms
IP Boutique vs. General Practice Firms with IP Departments
Small, Medium, or Large?
Will it look good on my résumé?
Choose Carefully!
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Other careers?
Patent Agent
Patent Examiner
Technical Consultant
Patent Searcher
Law Librarian
IP Manager (in-house)
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Patent Agent
Patent prosecution Research legal issues / technical and patent
literature Draft memoranda for attorney Any “practice of law” is off-limits Salaries - similar to what scientists/engineers in
industry make Advancement - not without a law degree Patent agent by day / law student by night Most employers are law firms
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Legal Assistant / Patent Specialist
Assist attorney
Coordinate patent application filings in US and foreign countries
Salaries – $45k to $75k
Advancement – limited opportunities for supervisory positions
Most employers are law firms, but companies will hire experienced patent specialists
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Other Options
Patent Examiner Must work in Washington D.C. (site of U.S. Patent
and Trademark Office) Patent examiner by day / law student by night Government job (with all the associated perks /
drawbacks)
Technical consultant / Patent Searcher
Law Librarian
Intellectual Property Manager / Coordinator
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What do I need to do to be able to work as an Assistant, Agent, Attorney?
Patent Assistant / Specialist Get a college degree
Patent Agent Get a degree (Bachelor’s or higher) in a technical subject Pass the patent bar
Patent Attorney Get a degree (Bachelor’s or higher) in a technical subject Pass the patent bar Get a law degree Pass a state bar exam
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The “Patent Bar”
Officially known as: The Examination for Persons Seeking Registration before the United States Patent and Trademark Office as Patent Attorneys and Agents
Administered by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Necessary if you want to practice before the USPTO
The Patent Bar tests your knowledge of U.S. patent law, not your technical knowledge
Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP) Title 37 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Consolidated Listing of Notices in the Official Gazette
The Patent Bar is a tough exam Lower pass rates than most state bar exams! No shame in taking it more than once (most do)
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Requirements for Admission to Examination
Bachelor’s degree in recognized technical subject Chemistry, biology, engineering, physics, etc.
Computer Science (program must be accredited by the CSAC)
Bachelor’s degree in another subject and minimum credit hours in selected technical subjects
Practical experience
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How do I sign up?
Forms and information available from USPTO website http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/dcom/gcounsel/oed.htm
Exams offered year round $200 examination fee
$150 examination administration fee
$40 nonrefundable application fee
File application at least three months before you plan to take the exam
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What’s the exam like?
1 day long 3 hours in the morning / Lunch break / 3 hours in the afternoon
Multiple choice (50 questions a.m. / 50 questions p.m.)
You are provided a copy of the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP)
You must receive a passing score of 70% on the scored questions (90 questions scored)
Pass rate usually <50%
Exam administered by Thompson Prometric at locations throughout California
www.prometric.com
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How do I study for the exam?
Go it alone Order copies of MPEP, Title 37 of the CFR, Consolidated
Listing of Notices in the OG, old exams (all available from USPTO) and study, study, study
Cheapest option (your only costs are for the government publications and examination fees)
Recommended only for people with extensive practical patent experience
Review Courses Can be expensive (~$500 to >$3000) Generally fewer tries required to pass the exam Some courses may not charge you to re-take the course if you
don’t pass the exam on the first try
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Review Courses, cont.
Where do I sign up for a Patent Bar review course? PLI Patent Bar Review
http://www.patentbarreview.com/
PATBAR.COM http://patbar.com/index.html
Patent Resources Group, Inc. http://www.patentresources.com/
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What do I need to know about law school?
Is it something I really want to do at this time in my life? Major commitment of time and money (3-4½ years, ~>100k) Supportive spouse, significant other, relatives? Family, financial commitments (young children, mortgage)?
What’s attending law school like? Stop thinking like a scientist (no absolutes) Writing skills, memorization, note taking skills Notebook computers, study aids, study groups First year is the most work, third year is the most tedious Law can be fun, exciting, intellectually challenging Make time for “you” - watch for burnout
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What do I need to do to before applying to law school?
Get a good score on the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) Information available at http://www.lsac.org/
Next Exam is June 11, 2007
Deadline to Sign-up by Mail is October 31, 2006 (late registration deadline by phone or online is May 18, 2007)
$123 Registration Fee (extra fees may be involved)
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How do I choose a law school?
Reputation, reputation, reputation Top tier, second tier, third tier, fourth tier Ranking in U.S. News and World Report
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/grad/rankings/law/lawindex_brief.php If at all possible, attend school ranked highest
Accreditation American Bar Association California Committee of Bar Examiners (generally not recommended) Unaccredited (not recommended) Correspondence (not recommended)
California Law Schools http://www.bhba.org/law_school_links.htm
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Local Law Schools (top tier, ABA accredited)
USC Law School $36,732 per year
Top tier, competitive admissions
UCLA School of Law Residents $25,289 per year / Non-Residents
$36,213 per year
Top tier, top IP law, competitive admissions
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Local Law Schools (ABA accredited)
Chapman University School of Law $34250 per year (tuition only)
Loyola Law School $33,515 per year (tuition only)
Pepperdine University School of Law $33,590 per year (tuition only)
Southwestern School of Law $33,410 per year (tuition only)
Whittier Law School $30,750 per year (tuition only)
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How do I pay for law school?
Student loans
Scholarships (especially recently ABA accredited schools)
Evening school Evening and/or weekend classes for 4+ years
Don’t expect summers off
Clerk at law firm (part time or full time)
Some employers pay tuition or offer other incentives
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What can I do to get a good job after graduation?
Why do law firms decide to interview you? Reputation of law school
GPA in law school
Law review, judicial clerkships, moot court (minor importance)
Why do law firms decide to make you an offer? Summer clerkship with firm
Strong technical and/or legal background
Good “fit” with firm culture
Good timing (firm’s current needs)
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Job Hunting Tools
USPTO Roster of Agents and Attorneys http://www.uspto.gov
Law Firm Websites
General Information FindLaw’s Infirmation (message boards, job listings, firm
information) http://careers.findlaw.com/
http://www.infirmation.com/bboard/clubs-top.tcl
American Bar Association http://www.abanet.org
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My Background B.A., Chemistry (Minor in Computer
Science), 1986 Willamette University
Ph.D. in Chemistry, 1991 Purdue University
Research Chemist 1991-1999 Exxon Research & Engineering Company
J.D. 1999 Rutgers University School of Law – Newark, NJ
Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear, LLP Associate (1999 - 2004) Partner (2005)
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My Firm
Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear, LLP
Founded in 1962
IP Law Only (boutique) 180+ Attorneys
Chemical/Biotech EE and Computer Science ME and CE Physics MD Nontechnical
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Questions?
Rose Thiessen, Ph.D. Partner Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP550 West C Street, Suite 1200San Diego, CA 92101Phone 619-525-8301Fax 619-235-0176 Email: [email protected] Website: www.kmob.com
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Intellectual Property LawDown to a Science
2040 Main Street, Fourteenth Floor, Irvine, CA 92614 Tel 949.760.0404 • Fax 949.760.9502 • kmob.com
550 West C Street, Suite 1200, San Diego, CA 92101
One Sansome Street, Suite 3500, San Francisco, CA 94104
1901 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 1500, Los Angeles, CA 90067
3403 Tenth Street, Suite 700, Riverside, CA 92501
1114 Marsh Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401